Clamp mechanism for pipe-laying machines



May 27 1924. 1,495,706

J. J. MAHONEY CLAMP MECHANISM FOR PIPE LAYING MACHINES 0 Original FiledAnril 10, 1922 Patented May 27,1924.

CLAMP MECHANISM FOR Application filed April 10, 1922,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN citizen of the United States, and resident 0Kansas City, county of Jackson, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Clamp Mechanism for Pipe-LayingMachines, of which the following is'a complete specification.

The present invention relates to pipe-laying machines, andaims toprovide an improved clam'ping means for locking the carriage of suchmachines in firmly clamped engagement with the pipe along which'thecarriage of the pipe-laying machine is adapted to travel in theoperation of laying the p1 e.

itccordingly, I have devised an improved arrangement and construction ofclamping means which comprises a pair of clamping members adapted forengagement with the opposite sides of the pipe, and having operatingconnections between these members for actuating the same either into orout of clamping engagement with the pipe, and adapted to support saidmembers out of engagement with the pipe when the members are in theirinoperative position.

With this general object in view,'the invention will now be described byreference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form ofconstruction which I have devised for embodying the proposedimprovements, after which the novel features therein will beparticularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the carriageportion of a pipe-laying machine, in its operative relation to a pipe,andrepresenting a section taken on the line I-I of Figure 2, and showinga clampingmeans constructed in accordance with the present invention,with said clamping means shown J. MAHONEY, a

in operative engagement with the pipe;

Figure 2 1s a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 1, with theclamping means shown in inoperative position, or out of clampingengagement with the pipe;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the bell crank-member whichforms one of the parts of thetoggle operating mechanism; an

Figure 5'is a perspective view of one of the lower toggle members.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, this illustrates the improveddevice, in its a JOHN J. MAHONEY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

PIPE LAYING MACHINES.

Serial No 551,378. Renewed October 27, 1923.

operative relation to the carriage 10 of a pipe-laying machine of thetype fully. shown f and described in Patent No. 1,210,824, issued January-2nd, 1917, in which form ofmachine the carriage is arranged totravel along a pipe 11 and is adapted to be securely locked or clampedto the pipe from time to time during the operation of connecting upsuccessive lengths of pipe, all as more fully explained in the patentreferred to. The present invention aims to provide an improved form ofclamping means for the purpose of locking the carriage in firmly clampedrelation to the pipe 11 during the intervals at which this clampingoperation is required.

Accordingly, at one side of the carriage 11 is formed a rigid supportingbracket portion 12 for pivotally carrying an upper clamping member 14and a lower clamping member 15, these clampingmembers being providedwith pivotal connections with the bracket portion 12, as indicated at16. The inner face of the clampingmember 14 is provided with aeclampingprojection 17 operating through an opening 18 in the carriage 10'forengagement with the -pipe 11, for which purpose the projection 17 isformed with an undercut recess 20 for receiving a wedge-shaped clampingplate 21 formed with the ribs or serrations 22 adapted to eifect aclawlike clamping engagement with the pipe 11; this plate 21 is ofsuitably tempered metal to give .it wearing qualities and theconstruction shown provides a renewable plateconstruction in connectionwith the upper clamping member 14. The lower clamping member 15 islikewise provided with an inwardly projecting portion 28, of materiallygreater size as compared with the projection 17 from the upper clampwitheach of the clamping members, and further connections between thesetoggle mechanisms for producinga simultaneous operation of the clampingmembers. To the free end of the upper clamping member 14 are pivotallyconnected, by means of the same pivot pin 25, what may be termed a bellcrank lever 26 and a toggle lever 27, the

midpoint of which lever 27 as well as one of the arms of the lever 26,is pivotally con nected, as indicated at 28, to a fulcrum post 29 whichis mounted for rocking movement about a pivot pin 30 carried in lugs 31projecting outwardly from the carriage 10. The outwardly projecting armof the toggle lever 27 is pivotally connected, as indicated at 32, tothe upper end of a toggle rod 33, the lower end portion of which isthreaded through a lug 34 projecting laterally from a bell crank lever35 which is provided with a handle portion 36. The midportion of thelever 35, together with a companion toggle link 46, are provided with apivotal connection, as indicated at 39 with one end of a toggle link 40,the other end of which is fulcrumed at 37 between lugs 38 projecting outfrom the carriage 10 in the same manner as the lugs 31. The link 46 andlever 35 are also pivotally connected, as indicated at 41, to the freeend of the rod by means of a nut 45, with the upper end of the spring 44in engagement with the under side of the lug 34 on the lever 35. In thismanner, a yielding operating connection is provided between the uppertoggle mechanism formed by the lever 27 and rod 33, and the lower togglemechanism which is formed by one arm of the bell crank lever 35 and thetoggle links 34 and 40. A stop nut 46 is provided on the rod 33 abovethe lever 35 and, by engagement with the lug 34, limits the action ofthe spring 44 tending to retract said rod through the lug 34 by pullingdown on the rod.

The outer or free end of the bell crank lever 26 is formed with asuitable recess 50 for engagement with the inner end of an operatingscrew 51 which operates through a nut 52 carried by the outer end of ayoke member 53, the leg portions of which eX- teud on opposite sides ofthe bell crank 26 and are pivoted, as indicated at 49, on op positesides of the clamping member 14. The outer end of the screw 51 carries ablock 54 to which is fitted the handle member 55 retained in place bymeans of a set screw 56.

Referring now to the operation of the above described construction, itwill be noted by reference to Figure 3 that the connections providedbetween the upper and lower clamping members 14 and 15 are adapted tosupport said members in their inoperative position, and out of clampingengagement with the pipe 11, due to the lower toggle mechanism,comprising the inner arm of the lever 35 and the toggle links. 46 and40, being swung into depending relation to the lugs 38, while the lever27 is rocked down- Wardly about the pivot 28 at the same time as thepost 29 is rocked rearwardly upon the supporting lugs 31, whereby thelink 29 and one arm of the lever 27 form a supporting toggle for theupper clamping member 14 for maintaining the latter in its upper orinoperative position, as clearly represented in Figure 3.

hen it is desired to operate the clamping means into engagement with thepipe 11, for retaining the carriage 10 in axial alinement with the pipe,the yoke member 53 and its screw 51 are lifted sufficiently to allow thelever 26 to be rocked upwardly into engagement with the inner end of thescrew 51, whereupon the handle 36 of the lever 35 is pulled upwardly forsimultaneously actuating the upper toggle elements into the posi tionshown in Figure 1, and also the lower toggle mechanism into its upperposition, with the toggle joint 39 above and in past the center of thelower pivot 37, by which operation the clamping portion 23 of the lowermember 15 is brought into engagement with the under side of the pipe 11.To effect the final clamping operation, the screw 51 is operated bymeans of the handle 55, and, the inner end of the screw being seated inthe recess 50 of the lever 26, the latter is further rocked and thusacts to firmly and securely lock the upper clamping member in effectiveclamping engagement with the upper side of the pipe 11. In this action,the pivot 28 at the outer end of the link 29 serves as the fulcrumsupport for the lever 26, and accompanying this action is a furthertightening of the connection with the lower toggle mechanism by thefinal rocking of the lever 27 and pulling upward upon the toggle rod 33against the tension of the spring 44, as will be readily understood.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a simple, practical andeflicient means for firmly and securely locking the carriage of thepipe-laying machine with reference to the pipe 11 for the purpose ofpreventing any rotation of either the carriage or pipe with reference tothe other, and also to guard against the possibility of any move ment ofthe carriage longitudinally of the pipe. While I have shown anddescribed what I now regard as the preferred form of construction forembodying the improve ment, I desire to reserve the right to make suchchanges as may fairly fall into scope of the following claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a pipe-laying machine, the combina tion with a carriage, of meansfor clamping the carriage in axial alinement with the pine, said meanscomprising damping carried by said carriage and adapted toclamp oppositesides of the pipe, and connect1ons between said members and operable tospread the same and support them out of engagement with said pipes.

2. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination with a carriage, of meansfor clamp ing the carriage in axial alinement with t e pipe, said meanscomprising clamping members pivotally connected with said carriage andadapted to clamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanismassociated with each of said members, and connections between saidtoggle mechanisms adapted to actuate the latter for moving said memberseither into or out of clamping engagement with said pipe.

3. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination with a carriage, of meansfor clamping the carriage in axial alinement with the pipe, said meanscomprising members pivotally connected with said carriage and adapted toclamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanism associated witheach of said members, and connections between said toggle mechanisms andincluding a handle member adapted to operate said toggle mechanisms formoving said clamping members either into or out of clamping engagementof said pipe.

4. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination with a carriage, of meansfor clamping the carriage in axial alinement with the pipe, said meanscomprising clamping members pivotally connected with said carriage andadapted to clamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanismassociated with each of said members, and yielding operative connectionbetween said toggle mecha nisms adapted to actuate the latter for movingsaid clamping members either into or out of clamping engagement withsaid pipe.

5. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination with a carriage, of meansfor clamping the carriage in axial alinement with the pipe, said meanscomprising clamping members pivotally connected with said carriage andadapted to clamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanismassociated.

with each of said members, and a connection between said togglemechanisms adapted to cause simultaneous operation thereof, one of saidmechanisms being provided with a screw operated lever for actuating saidmechanisms and thereby operating said members into clamping engagementwith said pipe.

6. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination with a carriage, of meansfor clam ing the carriage in axial alinement with t e pipe, said memberscomprising clamping members pivotally connected with said carriage andadapted to clamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanismassociated with each of said members, a connection between said togglemechanisms adapted to cause simultaneous operation thereof, a bell cranklever pivot-ally interposed between one of said clamping members and itstoggle mechanism, and a screw operative to rock said lever and therebyoperate said clamping members into clamping engagement with said pipe.

7. In a pipe-laying machine, the combina' tion with a carriage, of meansfor clamping the carriage in axial alinement with the pipe, said meanscomprising clamping members pivotally connected with said carrriage andadapted to clamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanismassociated with each of said members, a connection between said togglemechanisms adapted to cause simultaneous operation thereof, a bell cranklever mounted on said carriage and pivotally connecting one of saidclamping members and its toggle mechanism, and a screw operative to rocksaid lever and thereby operate said clamping members into clampingengagement with said pipe.

8. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination with a carriage, of meansfor clamping the carriage in axial alinement with the pipe, said meanscomprising clamping members pivotally connected with said carriage andadapted to clamp opposite sides of the pipe, a toggle mechanismassociated with each of said members, a connection between said togglemechanisms adapted to cause simultaneous operation thereof, a bell cranklever pivotally interposed between one of said clamping members and itstoggle mechanism, a yoke pivoted to said last named clamping member, anda screw mounted in said yoke and adapted to be engaged with one arm ofsaid bell crank lever for rocking the same and thereby operating saidclamping members into clamping engagement with said pipe.

9. In a pipe-laying machine, the combinameans for moving said clampingmembers I into and out of engagement with the pipe. In witness whereof Ihereunto affix my signature. 7

JOHN J. MAI-IONEY.

